The Washington metropolitan area has a rich literary history and is
the setting for some of the most renowned literary institutions in the
world. In 2000, a four-color, poster-sized Literary Map—the first of
its kind for the Washington area—was developed and produced by WNBA/Washington
in partnership with the Library of Congress Center for the Book.

The literary
map identifies and celebrates locations in Washington and surrounding
areas that are associated with 44 authors who have lived or
worked here, including Rachel Carson, Frederick Douglass, Langston Hughes,
Sinclair Lewis, Clare Booth Luce, Mark Twain, and Walt Whitman. The map
also contains biographical information about the authors, a list of authors
born or buried in the Washington area, other places with literary connections,
and a selective list of books set in Washington.

A Literary Map of Metropolitan Washington, DC is intended for lovers of
literature, area residents, students—and the millions who visit this
great city. Proceeds from the sale of the map are used to expand WNBA/Washington’s
professional and charitable programs.

Individuals / non–WBD-account holders
please contact:

Bulk rates through WNBA:

40 or more:

$4.25 per map

plus $5.50 to ship all

11 to 39:

$5.65 per map

plus $4.00 to ship all

10 or fewer:

$7.95 per map

plus $3.50 to ship all

Maps can also be found in select Washington bookstores.

Credits

Map Developer: Martha Hopkins, author of Language
of the Land: The Library of Congress Book of Literary Maps (1999). An exhibit director at the
Library of Congress, Hopkins was the curator of an exhibit of literary
maps in 1993 (“Language of the Land”); the exhibit then traveled
to eighteen states and now is featured on the Library of Congress web
site at http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/land.

Map Designer: Sheila Harrington of Studio Five. Her work includes graphic
design and illustration for a variety of government, non-profit, and commercial
clients, and her paintings and portraits form part of numerous private
collections.